Captive
by Andromeda Lionhart
Summary: Slave and master. A dream of freedom. Please R&R.
1. Default Chapter

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Captive

Part One: Flee

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I fled farther and faster than any normal mortal, with my unwanted lords pursuing me. They knew I had no desire to be caught, and even though I knew I would eventually be caught, I still fled. Even with the punishment that was sure to follow, I still ran, for these few precious moments of freedom in which I could hear my heart throbbing in my head, and feel the oxygen fill my lungs with each breath. This is what made the punishment afterward so worth it. And now with the odor of blood so near, I knew that my precious moments of freedom were numbered.

They came up alongside me hissing like wild cats, I gave them a hiss of my own and leapt across a nearby stream, with the more intense hissing that followed I could tell they had been hit with the spray that had succeeded my jump. I felt one of the bastard's claws pierce my ankle as he fell, taking me down with him...upon him. I could feel his icy glare through my closed lids, and could feel his undead heart beat beneath my own, but I dare not move, for movement at this time certainly meant death. However, I did think, I thought about which one of the low ranking bastards I had landed upon though, my thoughts did not last long for I was jarred from them by my being shook and a cruel chuckle.

"You really think me so low child?" He had read my thoughts! I opened my eyes slowly and looked directly into those of my master's. My eyes widened and I struggled to get off from my unwilling perch atop him. He gave me a mocking smile, knowing what I wished to do, and doing just the opposite. Instead of letting me get up as I should he pulled me closer, far closer than what was deemed decent. I shot him a glower in return, and he slapped it off my face. My face stung as he gripped it roughly between his talons, forcing my eyes open once again.

"Answer me." I knew he wasn't demanding an answer from me, though it appeared to be so to the gathering of my master's clan surrounding us. I shot him a look of defiance, and his eyes took on that of a look of amusement, begging me to answer. And answer him I did, though far from what he had been expecting. I looked him straight into his cat's eyes and stared into them unblinking. 

"My master Raziel, I find you not low, but a dictating bastard." The crowd around us hushed and waited for what was sure to be my demise at my master's hands. But it never came, instead a long loud howl of laughter sounded throughout the night, as I received a slap on the back. My master leapt up from his position, letting me tumble to the ground, getting dust upon my already filthy clothes. Though the smile that had graced my features after his laugh soon faded, as did his, for he looked into my eyes the way I had so recently done to him.

"Though make no mistake dear Lorna, there will be punishment for what you have done." He laughed again, at my look of shock. "Clearly, you knew it was coming. Did you actually believe that you would get away unscathed for that remark?" He motioned to the vampires standing on either side of me, and they held me down, while tying bonds upon my hands. I knew though that with the current festival going on, the exact one that had allowed my escape, would allow me time to prepare for my punishment. By the look in his eyes, I knew I would need that time. 

Make no mistake that my Lord Raziel was indeed a fair man, he only gave what was dealt to him. I have crossed him so many a time that this has been beaten into my head, though not literally I assure you. He was far from as arrogant as Lord Dumah. But for once I was afraid of him, never had he acted so blithe when I had crossed him. He had always been silent, cold and hard, never laughing and amused. So what had I done to change that this time, or was he just becoming fickle in his moods? I questioned and pondered these thoughts until my mind was just as tired as my body, exhausted from my momentary freedom.

I shook my head in confusion as my lord entered the cell in which I had been locked up in since I had been bound like a hog. I hadn't heard him enter which could only mean he was truly displeased with me. Lord Raziel never hid, especially from an enslaved mortal like me. I finally noticed his appearance in the cell when I felt his breath upon my neck. I turned my head to see him sitting beside me, an amused look upon his face. I sighed in exhaustion as he stood back up a familiar looking whip in his clawed hand.

"Humor me girl, why do you flee at every chance you get?" He asked the question in quiet curiosity. He asked it every time I had tried to escape, never getting an answer. His face looked almost grave now, as if it hurt him to punish me like this. He obviously thought that I wasn't planning on answering him, like all of the other times, he was wrong. Just as the whip started to descend, I let my emotions fly, and answered the question.

"My lord, I flee because I hunger for the same freedom you already have. I am not content slaving away until the day that I die. I only wish to be allowed to not carry the burden of being a slave upon my soul. You brand us so, not allowing us to live the way every living being should be allowed, you oppress us yes, you know it. We may be your source of life, but why capture us all? For dominance, an empire, a legacy of sorts? it is tyranny my lord and I only wish to be free of it's reigns. As I am sure others do as well, it seems I am the only one willing to risk punishment over something as sweet as freedom." I swallowed hard and looked down, I had just made a fool of myself. Everyone thought these thoughts yes, but they never voiced them. My lord looked me over, and gave a hint of a smile before smothering it in the cold stare I was used to during these times.

"Child you dream. Your enslavement has become mandatory to the empire's well being. Are you saying that we should just release you? And what about the rest should we release them too? You are next to free here! You can do what you wish so long as your duties have been fulfilled. But you want it all don't you?" He gave me an uncustomary smirk before circling around me. I realized then that this was what he wanted to hear, he wanted to hear my thoughts and opinions. I thought then that the vampires must truly be bored with their unlives if they were stooping this low for entertainment. However, that wasn't about to stop me from sharing my opinion with him.

"My lord even when I serve you I still bear the title as slave, and just as you treat me well, that does not mean that every vampire will." He nodded slowly setting the whip down and walking to my side. With a single swipe he slashed through the ropes that bound me and helped me to my feet. I looked at him with question in my eyes, but he merely touched my shoulder and guided me out of the cell. 

"Lorna, child if you wish to be free then someday you may have it, but only after you learn your lesson." And with that I received a single slash from the whip. It was light not even harmful, but it was enough to let me know that I should never call him a dictating bastard again. 

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Notes Thus Far:

This is going to be a multiple part story, but it was started on the notion that it would help cure my writer's block. ;) Though I appreciate and still want all the reviews I can get for this story. 

Disclaimer: I only own the character's, places, and the plot I create. Everything else is owned by their respective owners. 


	2. Dreams

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Captive

Part Two: Dreams

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I lay down after my master had led me back to my cell a little shaken by the way he had been acting. True enough I appeared to be his favorite but his words and actions though usual for him in other circumstances were only applied in situations where equals were present. Did he think to make me a vampire? I shuddered slightly, I wanted my freedom but not in such a way. But then I remembered his words: "Lorna, child if you wish to be free then someday you may have it, but only after you learn your lesson." What did he mean? My search for answers within my mind seemed to only bring up confusion and dead ends. Then again what else would one expect from a slave?

Curling up in the threadbare blankets in my cell in the slave quarter I forced myself to sleep so I could have energy for my tasks tomorrow. And in that sleep I dreamed. I dreamed of love, life, happiness, and freedom. Though it sounds like an enjoyable dream and believe me it was, it ended in death; but whose I had no idea. I tossed and turned the rest of the night until a hoofed foot rudely awakened me for my shift. I glared into the eyes of the guard as I rolled from the small pile of straw in the corner that served as my bed.

"Some slave you are, you act as if you are one of the lords. Obviously our Lord's disciplining of you last eve hasn't had the desired effect, I do believe I'll continue for him." He kicked me in the stomach with enough strength to make me try and vomit what I didn't have in my stomach. I glared back up at him again refusing to let him win or to have the last word spoken, or silent. He hissed at me baring his fangs while picking me up by my hair. "Worthless whore!" I didn't get to see much of what happened next. All I was aware of was that the claws upon his other hand were descending again and again ripping the rags from my body and tearing my flesh from the neck down.

"You do well to stop beating a slave that isn't yours, my child." Neither the guard nor I knew our lord was there until he spoke in that frigid monotone voice he had when he was displeased. Immediately I was dropped to the cold stone floor of my cell. I got up feebly upon my knees as his glare of displeasure was placed not only on the guard but upon me as well. He motioned for the guard to leave as he opened my cell door and strode inside, his body cold an rigid with anger.

"Have you learned nothing?!" His voice boomed as I shuddered involuntarily from the unwelcome level of his voice. He began to circle around me as was becoming customary in these situations. I brought my head up and shot him a mutinous glance.

"Learning these lessons wouldn't be necessary if you hadn't enslaved me in the first place!" I mentally gasped at the gall I had to say those things and especially at the tone of voice I was using with my lord. If he felt the same as I did he wasn't showing it.

"This is no time for the opinions of a simple minded slave girl!" He growled as he looked down on me in his own arrogant manner. "You may be able to behave the way you did around me but that is only when you're in my presence alone. In truth I disciplined you no where near the degree I should have and I'm now regretting that. I take the blame for this incident because I allowed you to behave in this manner. For had you been any other slave I would've let him continue and you would not be alive right now. Lorna you will never be free. It's time you know this harsh truth. Let this be your lesson." He spoke slowly in that cold even voice of his as he turned to leave me there on the ground. 

The anger, the rage, and the hurt burned in my heart. I ached to scream at him but I couldn't, because even in his own arrogant way he was right. He walked out without a second glance, none of the previous night's amusement emanating off of him only a dark and silent anger. I let the tears fall slowly after he had left. I know he could hear them, but so long as he didn't see them I felt it was okay to let them flow. He had said I would never be free, and yet only a night before he said I could be free. Why would he contradict himself in such a way?

I hushed my tears as quickly as they had started for I heard footsteps heading towards my cell door. I looked up to see another servant around five and forty enter the room. She walked in quickly and gasped as she saw me kneeling on the floor. She rushed quickly to my side and tore a piece of her ragged dress off to cleanse my wounds. She'd brought a small bag with her and idly I wondered what was in it but I didn't voice my question.

"My dear, you are lucky to be alive. The master sent me here to make sure you were taken care of so that you could get to your duties as quickly as possible. Wouldn't want to fall behind would you?" Painfully I shook my head no as she pulled a bowl and a cask of water from the bag. Carefully she poured the water into the bowl. While she dipped the torn piece of her dress in the water I wondered why she hadn't done that in the first place. As she vigorously scrubbed my wounds, causing me even more pain it became more and more apparent she didn't know a damn thing about what she was doing.

"I think you can leave these things here and go off and perform your tasks while I finish this up." It was a demand not a request. I beginning to sound more like my lord with every passing day. She merely looked at me, blinked twice mumbled something about there being everything I needed within the bag, and left me to carry out the task she had been sent to do.

I washed the blood and filth from my body slowly and with care. Enjoying the feel of the water trickling gently down my battered body. It didn't appear any of the wounds would leave too bad of a scar as I opened the bag finding the bandages I needed. I dressed my wounds clumsily for they were located in many awkward to wrap places. In the bag I found the final thing I needed; a clean dress. I donned it quickly and pounded on the bars of my cell until the guard came to release me to do my work. As I strode out I noticed that it was not the same vampire as it had been this morning.

That sticking in my mind I went about my tasks. Mainly of cleaning my master's clothes and cooking for the other slaves. When I came back to my cell late that evening I noticed for the first time I had not seen my master other than this morning. Dismissing the idle thought I lay down to rest my tired body. Once again I dreamed.

Blue and green colors were swirling and twisting around me constantly changing shade. A dark for came close to me both begging to stay near, and forcing me away. Another dark form drew near and whispered of freedom. I as usual stood confused in this midst of colors and figures. I paid more attention to the words of the form speaking of freedom of course. Then the figures and colors faded away and I was in a field alone watching as a winged figure flew overhead in the evening sky. An unfamiliar fondness filled me as I watched it fly and there was the undeniable knowledge that I knew I was free! Unfortunately the fondness and freedom soon ended as the guard woke me to carry out the days duties.


End file.
